Hi,

I've just installed the HEW from the Demo Kit CD. I successfully ran the demo application and got the blinking LEDs. Very nice idea with the light sensor, fun to play around with.
Ok, now for the problems, there seems something wrong with the auto update application. It comes up with a configure dialogue where some Download path is missing (the edit field is empty). Clicking on the "..." button brings up a file open dialogue that wants me to find some "renesastools.ini" file. However there is no such file anywhere in the Renesas install folder.
Trying to update the applications despite this issue ends up with the same error message for all the files, like:

"Unable to read update information for D:\Programme\Renesas\Hew\System\Pg\Renesas\E8A_RSKM16C26A. Could not determine FTP server name. Renesas Tools Website setting may not have been configured correctly during the tool's installation. Please contact your service centre"

Now, I dont really mind about not updating the applications, since I ran into trouble with that a while ago anyways. I've been developing R8C applications for some years now, using an older HEW version. I flash the MCUs via a regular serial port. However, only FDT 3.4 allows me to select a serial port at all. Newer versions only show me the E8 USB connection in the port selection popup (or nothing at all if the E8 driver aint present), so I have to stick to my old FDT version and avoid any auto update anyway. However, I still wonder why it does not work the way it's supposed to.

On a sidenote, the CD installer just ran over my existing HEW installation without even asking me for any files to overwrite. Ok, my fault - I did not check the installation path since I thought it would add some version number to it (like FDT) anyways; I just clicked "Next".
Still I think it would REALLY be a good idea to have the installer ask the user if he's ready to completely abandon the HEW version he's been using for years without even knowing if the new version will even load or compile all his existing projects (I keep my fingers crossed...)

Regards,
 Sven

We are VERY sorry for this problem. And even more sorry that no one has responded to it.

AUTOUPDATER: I have not seen this issue. Uninstall the autoupdater and reinstall if from the web site.
http://america.renesas.com//fmwk.jsp?cnt=/utilities_autoupdate.jsp&fp=/support/downloads/download_results/C2004801-C2004900

I have passed along your comment on the overwritting of existing versions to our development team.

Thanks,

Todd DeBoer
Renesas

Wow, 

thanks for the feedback. Didnt seem like there was actually anyone alive out there

Almost three months of reaction time might most probably not be what a developer is hoping for though.

I might have tried a reinstall of the auto updater, but the more severe problem is still the later flash dev toolkits not allowing for the selection of any serial port, so there aint much point in updating.

Regards,
 Sven Kopacz

To get the serial support also in actual FDT you have 2 possibilities.

The configuration is always stored in files mcu_name.fcf. For M32C/M16C/R8C they are in the directory Kernels\ProtD\mcu_name\Renesas\1_0_00.

You can either copy this file from your old FDT to the actual FDT installation, or when selecting a new processor you choose "Other" when asked for the processor, go to the directory for FDT3.04 and use the old fcf-file.

The other possibility is to modify the fcf-file. If you open the file for your device you will find one line saying "Com = No". If you simply change this to "Com = Yes" FDT will offer the UART interface again. FDT will claim that there is a checksum error in this fcf file, but this has no effect on the FDT operation. Its just a message and can be ignored (in this case).

Thanks for the info, I will try this. I just wonder why the serial support was abandoned at all? It's so convenient to have that one serial cable hooked up and use it for flashing and log/debug output to a terminal, be it in field or with a breadboard, and all this working driver and hassle free on virtually any PC.
Anyways, thanks for the hints and the quick feedback.

Sven

For the records: I did a fresh install on a new machine that I just set up (Win XP) and the autoupdater worked just fine and without any problems. I ran into problems though trying to compile an old project within the new toolchain, but I'll post that in the R8C forum.